Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-03-12
DROUTH RELIEF COMMTTTEE.
An Answer to Charges Made on the Floor
of the senate
FORT WORTH. TEX. March II, Iss


FORT WORTH, TEX. March II, 1857.
! To the Editor OF the Gazette:
The report OF yesterdays proceedings
of the Legislature contains statement to
J the effect that Senator Harrison made an
able argument against bill for extend
ing time to the drouah relief committee.
In support of his views the Hon. Sena-
tor called attention to the fact that the
relief committee had distributed $1,000 to
BOsque county, a county which he knew
! from personal knowledge had made as
good crops last year rs any county in
Middle Texas, yet $1,000 is given to this
county while Coleman and Haskell
counties, in the GrOuth district proper,
I had not received half that sum.
! The Senator thought the committee
should return and place the money not
expended in the treasury.
! Tue above statement implies that the
drOuth committee are incompetent for
! the duties assigned them; and that they
! have been grossly negligent in the dis
/ bursement OF the relief fund placed at
their disposal. Tne accusation would
nothave been noticed if it had emanated
: from q private source but having been
uttered in public debate in the iegisla-
/ tive hall By distinguished state Senator,
s brief reply is demanded in
t3ustice to the committee, if not to
/ the Governor, vac appointed them.
| In the first place the honorable Senator
! is misintOrmed and mistaken as to the
matters about which be speaks. 1t is not
! true that the committee have distributed
$1,000 to BosqGe county; nor that Cole
man and HesseIl counties did not receive
half as much as BOsque. From mem
BRANDON made at the time and now in the
writer's possession, of the correctness
Of which he has no doubt, it appears
that the committee gave BOsque county
for temporary relief $500; TO Coleman
they gave for like purpose $3.50. The
amount given 10 Haskell county is not re-
membered, but it is evidently small as
there are but few farmers in the county.
These sums are iabIe to be increased or
not, in the discretion of tn committee
when they meet for q final distribution of
| the relief fund.
! Again, the whole county of BosQue did
not make as good crop last year AS any
county in Middle Texas, If the statements
! of several officials and Otner reliable
citizens of the county are true.
d. L. Mitchell,e County Commissioner,
| from the north part Of Bosque county,
represented in substance that his precinct
cast from 600 20 500 votes, mostly
farmers; that in his section grain
! crops were almost failure;
/ he thought about 100 families or 600 per
! sons needed help. J. S. CTabb, II w.
/ Taylor ana other citizens testified to
the failure of grain crops and consequent
restitution existing in one precinct III the
northwest part of the county. Hon. a.
K. Barry, County Judge of the county,
| substantially COrrObUTated the state
ments made by the persons above named,
and stated that the northern part of the
county needed assistance The commit
! tee were also informed by the above gen
! tlemen-0r partUf them-that from one
| fourth TO One-third of the farmers of that
section could not make a crop without
help.
On behalf of the committee, | submit
the case made against it by the honorable
Senator and the rebutting testimony of
above witnesses.
For public information and with due
Difference to the opinion Of the honorable
Senator from Waco, the writer will ven
|; ture TO express his deliberate conviction
that the committee will not return and
place the balance of the money now uu-
expended back in the treasury as he
thinks they should do, but on the con-
trary they will consume the three remain
ing days allowed them by law in issuing
drafts and dist ibuting the remainder of
the 800 900 TO the people for whose use
it has been generously appropriated. This
important part of the committees duty
they will at least peTform-doUbtles in
an unsatisfactory, and in some cases, in
an ineQuitable manner for want of SUI
ficient time which the wisdom of the Leg
islature has denied them.
If any portion of the committees duty
shall not be discharged, it will be that
which requires them to report their &C
ton to the Legislature, which duty it will
be impossible to perform in manner
Just to the committee or the country with
10 the time limited by law.
General Lane and Captain Ferguson
have not Reached here, and are not re-
sponsible for anything contained in the
foregoing communication. It is believed,
however, that It's tenor will be fully in
dorsed by them. II. /. league,
Member of Drouth Relief Committee.
Sick hesdache and a sensation CT OPP
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